Surviving Sexual Violence

Thema Bryant-Davis is associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, where she also is director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab. Bryant-Davis, a former American Psychological Association representative to the United Nations and former President of the Society for the Psychology of Women, is author of Thriving in the Wake of Trauma: A Multicultural Guide which won an Academic Choice Award. She was also awarded the Emerging Leader of Women in Psychology Award. She was elected a member of the Committee on Women in Psychology of the American Psychological Association. She is an associate editor for Psychological Trauma, the premiere APA journal on traumatic stress and recovery. She is a trainer for rape crisis centers nationally and internationally and has provided training for mental health professionals, medical personnel, judges, police officers, religious leaders, and community members on sexual violence prevention and intervention.

The premise of Bryant-Davis’s (psychology, Pepperdine Univ.) book is that while survivors of sexual violence often develop mental health issues, they can still grow and live full lives. A victim of sexual assault, Bryant-Davis empathetically explains the range of different sexual violations, from harassment in the workplace and marital rape to sexual violence in the military and childhood sexual abuse. She draws from experts in the field to shed light on various modes of recovery including mind-body practices, psychoeducation, spirituality/religion, and journaling. Bryant offers comprehensive treatment options for practitioners and readers familiar with the field.

• IntroductionOverview of Specific Sexual Violations1. Surviving sexual harassment: Coping with, recognizing, and preventing unwanted sexual behaviors in the workplace, NiCole T. Buchanan and Zaje A. Harrell2. Human Trafficking: Not an Isolated Issue,Michelle Contreras and Melissa Farley3. Sexual Assault by Strangers and Non-intimate Associates, Kelly Cue Davis4. Marital Rape and Sexual Violation by Intimate Partners, A. Monique Clinton-Sherrod and Jennifer Hardison Walters5. War and Sexual Violence in the Military, Janet C’de Baca, Ph.D.6. Multiple Perpetrator Sexual Assault: Risk Factors, Effects, and Help-seeking, Shaquita Tillman7. Understanding Child Sexual Abuse: Prevalence, Multicultural Considerations, and Lifespan Effects, Anneliese A. Singh and April SikesPaths of Recovery8. Cognitive and Behavioral Treatments for Sexual Violence, Diane T. Castillo9. Rape Crisis Centers: Serving Survivors and Their Communities, Jessica Shaw and Rebecca Campbell10. EMDR for Sexual Assault, Diane Clayton11. Family Systems and Recovery from Sexual Violence and Trauma, Amy Tuttle12. Feminist Counseling as a Pathway to Recovery, Carolyn Zerbe Enns13. Restoring Relationships: Group interventions for survivors of sexual traumas, Shannon Lynch14. Mind-Body Practices for Recovery from Sexual Trauma, Patricia L. Gerbarg and Richard P. Brown15. An Integration of Narrative Therapy and Positive Psychology with Sexual Abuse Survivors, Z. Seda Sahin and Melissa L. McVicker16. A Psychodynamic Approach to Recovery from Sexual Assault, Pratyusha Tummala-Narra, Ph.D.17. Psychoeducation following Sexual Assault, Joanne L. Davis, Heidi Resnick, and Rachael M. Swopes18. The Benefits of Self-Defense Training for Sexual Assault Survivors, Leanne R. Brecklin, Ph.D.19. Social Support and Resilience in the Aftermath of Sexual Assault: Suggestions across life course, gender and racial groups, Tamara G.J. Leech and Marci Littlefield20. Spirituality/Religion as a Healing Pathway for Survivors of Sexual Violence, Sannisha Dale and Jessica Henderson Daniel21. Writing Your Way to Peace and Power: Empowerment Journaling as a Pathway to Healing and Growth,Shelly P. HarrellConclusionAdditional ResourcesAbout the Contributors